Formatting Issues

Fix Word 2007 Cannot Group Image and WordArt Objects

Khadija Khan Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is unable to select and group an image with two WordArt objects in Microsoft Word 2007.

Fix: Cannot Group Image and WordArt Objects in Word 2007

Product: Microsoft Word 2007
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to group multiple graphic elements together in a document to move or resize them as a single unit.
Observed behavior: Word 2007 does not allow selecting both the image and the WordArt objects at the same time to group them, even though text wrapping is not set to 'In Line with Text'.

Before you start

Ensure you have saved your current document before attempting workarounds, and verify that all objects have their text wrapping set to something other than 'In Line with Text'.

Solution 1Recommended

Upgrade to a Newer Version of Word or Use an Alternative

Because Word 2007 has an inherent graphics engine limitation preventing this specific grouping action, upgrading to a modern word processor is the official recommendation.

Microsoft Word 2007 handles inserted pictures (bitmap images) and drawing objects (shapes or WordArt) using completely different graphics engines. This creates a hard limitation where they cannot be grouped together directly.

Newer versions of Microsoft Word (2010 and later) introduced a unified graphics engine that successfully eliminated this restriction.

Save your work

Save your current Word document and close Microsoft Word 2007.

Open in a newer version

Open the document in a newer version of Microsoft Office (such as Microsoft 365, Office 2021) or a modern alternative like WPS Office.

Select the objects

Hold down the 'Ctrl' key on your keyboard and click on the image and the WordArt objects to select them simultaneously.

Group the elements

Right-click one of the selected objects, navigate to 'Group' in the context menu, and click 'Group'.

Upgrade to a Newer Version of Word or Use an Alternative

Solution 2

Use a Drawing Canvas Workaround in Word 2007

If you must continue using Word 2007, placing both the image and WordArt inside a Drawing Canvas allows them to act as a grouped unit.

Group Objects Easily in WPS Writer

Use WPS Office to Seamlessly Group Images and WordArt

WPS Office is a modern, free office suite that utilizes a unified graphics engine. This allows you to easily select and group multiple graphical objects, including images and WordArt, completely bypassing the limitations found in older software like Word 2007.

1. Install WPS Office: Download and install WPS Office, then open your existing document in WPS Writer.
2. Check text wrapping: Select your image and WordArt, click the 'Wrap Text' icon, and ensure both are set to a floating style like 'Tight' or 'Square'.
3. Select both objects: Hold the 'Ctrl' key and click on both the image and the WordArt to select them together.
4. Group the elements: Right-click the selected objects, hover over 'Group', and click 'Group' from the dropdown menu.

Easily group images, shapes, and WordArt objects with a single click.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word formats (.doc and .docx).Modern interface with advanced graphic manipulation tools.Free, lightweight, and fast-loading office suite.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can I group shapes but not images in Word 2007?

Word 2007 handles inserted pictures (like JPEGs or PNGs) and drawing objects (like shapes and WordArt) using two separate rendering engines. Because they are processed differently, the software prevents them from being grouped together directly unless placed in a shared container like a Drawing Canvas.

Does changing the text wrapping help group objects?

Yes, for any objects to be grouped in word processors, they must have a text wrapping style other than 'In Line with Text' (such as 'Square', 'Tight', or 'Behind Text'). However, in Word 2007, changing the wrapping style will still not fix the specific limitation between images and WordArt.

Can I save my grouped WordArt and image as a single picture?

Yes. Once you have successfully grouped the objects in a newer version of Word or in WPS Office, you can right-click the outer border of the grouped object and select 'Save as Picture' to export them as a single PNG or JPEG file.

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